hi all , thinking about getting 2001 E320 MB 4matic wagon with just a bit under 101K miles. well, I can't come up with some reasonable answer to myself; on one hand the car is well maintained and only one owner (according to the dealer) , looks great inside out . On the other hand with over 100K and with no warranty and all this multitude of electronics... so I still hesitate . seeking for the advice on this forum.
I used to have several MBs (diesels and gas ) over the time so emotionally I am inclined to buy this MB but all this modern technology advances make me a bit nervous in terms of cost of parts/repair (even that I am mechanically inclined person ) ... I got into an accident recently so I really need a "new" vehicle , my wife just refuses to drive our old substitute truck with 137K and recently fixed blown head gasket ...
I appreciate any input on this subject.

"According to dealer" -- is the one part that I don't like.

What price?

preliminary negotiating is range 10300- 11K range. I do not want to waste anyone's time before I will make up my mind on this first. Current used car market situation tells me that it doesn't matter what car you want to buy , ford or mbz for that matter it is gonna be in 10K-15K price range for more or less decent vehicle. in my particular case it would be vw, audi , mbz , subaru , maybe volvo awd models. I live in north NJ , hilly place so awd is a really nessesary for us. I do not want to lease a car , I wanna stuck with it for at least 4-5 years.

I share your doubts about this model. It's really a roll of the dice, depends on the individual one you get. They could be a really nice and safe car, but a bad one could eat you alive. With the electronics and spring perch problem, I would be really careful.

I'd insist on a PPI for it, and FULL books and records. A good one would be roomy safe and comfortable. To me, they are like a spaceship compared to the W124. And the W124 4matic is to be avoided at ALL costs, anyhow, just don't get one, they have an awful reputation.

Perhaps you could look further and wider, for a good example of one?

Not as safe as a Mercedes (and safety is such a compelling reason to get one) but what about one of those AWD Subaru Outbacks, a few years old? They seem to be anvil reliable and economical. I have one for the snow (and it's old - '95) and it gets the job done.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

For $11k thats cheap! I'd buy it in a heartbeat. I like the W210, they are easy to fix and work on to.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

ok , lets say I want to come over and have a close look at this MB.
what do I look for ? apart from obvious things like interior/ exterior cosmetic condition , checking various knobs , controls , lights , e.t.c. This thing is so complicated ... for instance is any way to check the proper functioning of 4matic awd ? ... any weak spots on this model I need to pay specific attention ? any records I should look for , like fixed recalls e.t.c.
Thanks for the replies

The only recall that I know if is the harmonic balancer, you want to make sure it was done. Have the dealer run the vin if any recalls need to be done that were not they should come up.

Other then that just the usual car stuff, make their their are no pops in the front end, you are getting to the point where some of the ball joints may be starting to need replacement.


The car has maintaince records? Make sure it was taken care of.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I second this wholeheartedly. I am a huge wagon fan, but my wife is too vain to drive one (which trust me, I am ok with her vanity). But I shopped these things for a while and have ended up knowing three people with this ride. Two of the three are constantly in the shop and the other one seems to be a supercar. I have now got the attitude now that you buy a Mercedes, accepting the maintenance and quirks for romantic reasons. If I was on a budget and was looking for reliable transportation in a Northern clime, I would do what Jim B says and get a subaru.

PS: The wagon I wanted then was the Audi 4x4 model, and after owning an A8 for a few weeks, if they come out with a new model, I may just get one

You sound like me (not an expert like others here) and again, would refer you to Jim B's excellent advice and get a ppi done by a mechanic.

We bought one last October, a 2000 that had 70,000 miles on it when we picked it up. We're the third owner, and it was a Starmark car for the second owner. Good thing for them because my records show a transfer case replacement due to a leak.

What to look for? As Hattie said, the major open recall on all M112 engines within a certain year range (and I think 2001 is part of that range) is the crank pulley/harmonic balancer. Lots of info on this site about that problem. In a nutshell it is a $120 part that can be changed in about 20 minutes (including putting it on and off the hoist). If it fails you're looking at $4K in damage and being stranded where you are.

Also look at the front spring perches to ensure there isn't any rust in the welds. Very easy to see with the naked eye. W210s are known for this failure, although for some reason it doesn't seem to happen to the wagons all that much. Still worth looking at.

Check for rust. These cars have some rust issues. Look specifically around the edges of all four door frames (gently peel back the rubber around the tops of the doors and look there too) as well as around the hatch. When you check the maintenance records make sure that synthetic oil was used. This is especially true if the owner followed the Flexible Service Schedule, which lets you go upto 10K miles between oil changes. Dino oil wont last that long and will sludge up.

Check the 4Matic by just accelrating from a dead stop, both forward *and* reverse. You won't need to go that fast at all. You're just feeling for any sloppiness or clunking in the driveline. These 4Matic systems are both simple and fairly bulletproof. I couldn't find any problems in any of my research.
Have it PPI'd by a trusted independent mechanic. My indy went over mine with a fine-tooth comb and discovered a couple of small flaws that the dealer was very happy to repair in order to keep the deal alive. You should also invest in a CarFax report to verify the one-owner story. It is cheap insurance.

We bought ours for the wife, who commutes 60 miles a day back and forth with our 18 month old in the back seat. We wanted something safe, and this feels like a tank and is full of safety features. With four snow tires it is damn near unstoppable in the winter.

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Jonathan

2011 Mazda2
2000 E320 4Matic Wagon
1994 C280 (retired)

thanks for recommendation ... personally I could stick with my rusty w116 300SD for another 100K , I just do not care, wife is another story ... probably you are right about Subaru. the majority of awd in my area are subarus , almost every second household near me have one of them ... it makes me think harder toward subaru.
my point is that at the current technological level any modern make/model is quite complicated animal , it is just impossible to fix it yourself and avoid potentially expensive repair. (just read the thread on this form regarding toyota prius transmission failure and subsequent repair bill was 40% from original price of the car ) . well , used cars market , 99% of used vehicles here are priced in range 9-16K usd so it doesn't matter if you try to buy a ford , toyota , landrover , subaru , or mb . All of them are overpriced from my prospective )) and there is little I can do about it . on top of that all this wining about high gas prices ...
Well, to make long story short , we had a car accident 7+ months ago . the guy who rearended us took off and never been found. so all these months I have been trying to get some new vehicle and still hesitate to make some progress )